(This is a chart of all state gas taxes.)
For Tennessee, does not include local taxes, and I can't find what those are on the net to be sure.)
http://www.gaspricewatch.com/usgastaxes.asp
How gas taxes are divided in TN
How the tax is divided : (Figures below through July 2005)
7.9 cents, or $245.1 million, goes to cities and counties
.7 cent, or $23.0 million, goes to the State General Fund
12.8 cents, or $396.9 million, goes to TDOT
The $396.9 million is included in TDOT's total revenue of $820.9 million and is used in three basic ways to accomplish TDOT's mission:
Basic operating costs
Highway maintenance contracts
Resurfacing, bridges, major reconstruction, new construction, consultant contracts, right-of-way purchases, and to match federal funds
(Note that the road maintenance and construction also gets matching federal funds.)
Why our governor (and me) is against rolling back the tax/
Gas tax halt won?t keep prices down, critics say
Despite consumers' cries for relief, governor calls tax break 'bad idea'
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050908/NEWS0201/509080418/1092/NEWS
Tennesse needs the matching federal funds as noted above. Folks from all over drive our roads, so it is not just for the convenience of locals.
Angeline
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General discussion
Senators to push for $100 gas rebate checks
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Every American taxpayer would get a $100 rebate check to offset the pain of higher pump prices for gasoline, under an amendment Senate Republicans hope to bring to a vote Thursday.
However, the GOP energy package may face tough sledding because it also includes a controversial proposal to open part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil exploration, which most Democrats and some moderate Republicans oppose.
Democrats are also expected to offer their own competing proposal, as members of both parties jockey for political position on the gas price issue.
To me, it sounds gimmicky and isn't a real solution. Temporarily reducing gas taxes would help more. It would also ensure that the people actually buying the gas benefit the most. These checks would go to people who don't even have cars. I suppose it can be argued to make sense in the ''fuel prices affect everyone'' sense, but it doesn't sound like a great idea to me.
Discussion is locked
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Not the same thing.
And I'd look again at the state tax. Your state has a surplus. Surely some state gas taxes could be lowered.
The government ALWAYS has an excuese not to lower taxes.
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But when this governor took office the state was awash in red.
The previoius governor wanted a state income tax. When that was defeated, he closed some state parks.
This governor weeded out the fraud and croyism, took on the hard choices, and, voila! We have a surplus.
Sorry, EdH, but I'm one who would rather have a surplus than have my taxes cut. The previous governor inherited a nice surplus, which didn't last.
Angeline
Speakeasy Moderator
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semods4@yahoo.com
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Right this minute! The tax is a percentage, right? So they are making more than they had anticipated.
BTW I have big doubts about what that ONE economist in the article had to say. He's discounting all and any competitive activity on the part of station owners. Seems rather slanted reportage.
In any event, the Federal tax should be cut.
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...... I admit I have a hard tim translating "economist-speak", especially as there are so many different "accents". 
Back to the surplus....comes in handy to take care of projects that had to be put on hold when the state is in the red. IMO, might as well tackle them while funds are available, and proper maintenamce of existing work extends the life of them.
You probably think my view of it all is skewered. I just have to think of the state's budget as I do my own.
Angeline
Speakeasy Moderator
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semods4@yahoo.com
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... but I do find the whole notion of federal matching to be a large culprit. States need to spend XYZ on certain programs the Federal Govt. deems appropriate, essential, necessary, whatever in order to get the "matching funds" from the Federal Government -- that may or may not equal the contribution of any particular state's taxpayers to the Federal coffers.
It's bribery, and the states have to keep spending on certain programs at certain levels (e.g. spend their taxpayers' money) to get the matching. And if they do that, there's no doubt programs the individual state feels it needs to fund for its own self interest will either go underfunded, or "require" more tax revenues to fund.
The sovereign state governments were never intended to be the prime administrators of behemoth Federal programs (that are largely unConstitutional, but that's besides the point).
Evie
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>> The plan by Senate Republicans to mail out $100 checks to soothe taxpayers' misery about gas prices is drawing scorn from the very people it was intended to help. Aides for several Republican senators reported a surge of calls and e-mail messages from constituents ridiculing the rebate as a paltry and transparent attempt to pander to voters in advance of the midterm elections in November.
"The conservatives think it is socialist bunk, and the liberals think it is conservative trickery," Don Stewart, a spokesman for Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said, noting the criticism came from across the ideological spectrum.
Constituents have asked, "Do you think we are prostitutes? Do you think you can buy us?" said another Republican senator's aide, who was granted anonymity to discuss the feedback because the senator had supported the plan. The backlash comes as the rising price of gas has put the public in a volatile mood and when polls show cynicism about Congress at its highest level since 1994. <<
A plan only a kneejerk conservative would love: "My party proposed it, so it must be a good idea!"
-- Dave K, Speakeasy Moderator
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com
The opinions expressed above are my own,
and do not necessarily reflect those of CNET!
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How does that jibe with, A plan only a kneejerk conservative would love
Obviously they DON'T. Duh!
ROLL BACK THE TAXES!!!
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